WILMINGTON – Sixty-five years ago this week, the Port City endured one of the most shocking blindsides in its history.
On Dec. 15, 1955, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad announced it would be ending its century-long relationship with Wilmington, where it operated its headquarters in 1900, and move to a new city, eventually revealed to be Jacksonville, Florida. The day would become known as Black Thursday in Wilmington.
In an instant, the company s 1,600 local employees suddenly found their livelihoods in jeopardy and the city was left to ponder a future without its largest employer.
In time, the railroad’s massive complex on the north end of the downtown riverfront would come down building by building, most notably in 1970 with the razing of Union Station. It was a devastating end to an industry that not only put Wilmington on the map but also made it a powerhouse during some trying chapters in American history, including the Civil War and World War II.